Women's Soccer Team Set to Begin Five-Match Homestand

Coming off one of the biggest weekends in program history, the Princeton women's soccer team will return home to begin a run of five matches at Roberts Stadium, starting Thursday at 7 p.m. against Rider and continuing Sunday at 11 a.m. against New Hampshire.

Thursday, 7 p.m. vs. Rider: Video (ILN) | Video (Facebook) | Live Stats
Sunday, 11 a.m. vs. New Hampshire: Video | Live Stats
Admission is free to all regular-season home women's soccer games

Series History
Princeton has faced each of this weekend's opponents in the past, but none recently. The Tigers are 3-1 all-time against Rider, playing annually from 1997-99 (2-1 loss in 1998) and again in 2005, going a perfect 3-0 at home with three shutouts, 5-0 in 1997 and 4-0 in 1999 and 2005. Princeton has faced New Hampshire just once, a 2-0 home win in 1987.

Rankings
Princeton's win at then-No. 18 Wake Forest was not counted for this week's rankings, and the Tigers were tied for the third team out of the poll after receiving 34 poll points. N.C. State fell to being tied for the 12th team out of the poll, while Wake Forest, without the loss to Princeton, was No. 17. West Virginia, which will come to Princeton next Friday, was No. 3. Yale, which will play Sunday at No. 2 Stanford, was tied for the 16th team out of the poll, receiving four poll points. In the East region, Princeton was eighth with Wake Forest fifth, N.C. State 10th and Yale 11th. West Virginia was No. 1 in the South.

On Rider
The Broncs are 0-4 but haven't lost by more than two goals this season and haven't given up more than three goals in a game. Seniors Michelle Iacono and Ellie Smith and junior Kourtney Cunningham have split the team's three goals while junior Amy Kozlowski (2.92 GAA, 0-3) and freshman Carmen Carbonell (1.50 GAA, 0-1) have split time in goal. Rider was picked to finish third in the MAAC this season by the league's coaches and Smith and junior defender Meghan McCabe were preseason All-MAAC selections. Princeton already defeated the team picked to win the MAAC, Monmouth, 3-0 in the Tigers' season opener.

On New Hampshire
The Wildcats, who don't play again before coming to Princeton Sunday, have played five consecutive one-goal games, winning three and losing two, after opening the season with a 2-0 win over Long Island. Senior Brooke Murphy has scored four of the team's eight goals, and senior Mia Neas (0.83 GAA, 4-2) has played every minute in goal. New Hampshire was picked third in the America East preseason coaches poll with Hartford the favorite.

Stat Rankings
Princeton is one of just five teams in the nation not to have given up a goal yet this season, a number that won't change before Thursday's games as the other four teams don't play again until Friday. Colorado, Northern Iowa, Rutgers and Milwaukee are the others. Princeton and the other four teams have all used the same goalkeeper for every minute so far, but Natalie Grossi is the only true sophomore in the group along with Milwaukee redshirt senior Mallory Geurts, Rutgers junior Casey Murphy, Northern Iowa junior Jami Reichenberger and Colorado redshirt sophomore Jalen Tompkins.

Unbeaten, Untied
Princeton is one of 14 teams in the nation that haven't lost and haven't tied yet this season, along with Memphis, Tennessee, Murray State, Northern Iowa, Rutgers, Texas, Yale, LSU, Saint Louis, UCLA, Clemson, Radford and Mississippi State. None of those teams has another match before Thursday.

Weekly Honors
Princeton has claimed the Ivy League Player of the Week honor each of the first two weekends, with sophomore Abby Givens earning it after the first weekend on her three-goal performance over two games and classmate Natalie Grossi earning it last weekend with six saves in Princeton's 2-0 shutout at then-No. 20 North Carolina State. She had two saves in the team's 2-0 shutout at then-No. 18 Wake Forest, which came after the award was decided.

Big Weekend
Princeton entered last weekend 0-7-1 all-time against Atlantic Coast Conference teams on their home field and went on to pick up two wins in such games in a span of three days, winning at N.C. State Saturday and Wake Forest Monday, both 2-0. Wake Forest hadn't been shut out at home by a non-ACC opponent since Aug. 24, 2012 against UNC Greensboro, a 22-game streak, and N.C. State hasn't been shut out at home by a non-ACC foe since Sept. 10, 2015, also against UNCG, a streak of four games.

Shutouts
This year's Princeton team is one of just three to post four shutouts over the team's first four games. The only two other Princeton teams to do that were the 2000 and 2001 teams, each of which started with five straight shutouts.

Early Start
Sunday's game is an 11 a.m. start due to the university's 3 p.m. opening exercises, which freshmen must attend.

Win Streak
Princeton is 4-0 for the ninth time in program history, joining the 1980, 1983, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2016 teams. If the Tigers get to 5-0, it'd be the sixth time, (1980, 2000, '01, '02, '16), and if they get to 6-0, it'd be the fifth time (1980, 2001, '02, '16). Princeton started 6-0 last year.

Looking Ahead
Princeton's homestand will continue next week with a visit from West Virginia, Friday, Sept: 15 at 4 on ESPNU, and from Delaware, Sunday, Sept. 17 at 4, before Yale comes to Roberts Stadium to open the Ivy season Saturday, Sept. 23 at 4. The last two games will be on the Ivy League Network.

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